OK, so maybe it’s not exactly a world tour. But they are driving it—all 4,966 miles. Unfortunately, it’s for business but she’s got time off just about every day for sight-seeing.

LATW World Tour 2007

So I’ve been exclusively seeing after the kids. It’s the longest either one of us has ever had to care for them single-handedly. But, honestly, it’s not that big of a deal. They are both at an age where, if I were to disappear this instant, they would survive handily. Which is to say, they know how to feed and clothe themselves and turn on the television. The house is clean, the laundry is done, homework is returned on time… heck, their rooms are even picked up.

One somewhat peculiar thing I’ve noticed is the reaction I get from other people when they find out what my situation is. I’m met with either wide-eyed amazement (usually from men) or skepticism (or some combination of both). I think the LATW and I normally split the household and child-rearing duties about 50%. And that’s by choice and as it should be. It’s the main reason I’ve been working at home these past years (and in fact I took a pretty large pay cut to do it back in 2005).

The thing that irks me a little bit is that, now, I get way more credit than I deserve—like I’m doing something super-human. And before, I now realize, I wasn’t getting any credit at all. Of course, I don’t do it for credit, and I guess it balances out, but it shows you that many folks still have pretty traditional ideas about a man’s role in raising children.

Me: So, how was the flight?
Wife: Oh! I’ve got to tell you about this guy. So, we’re waiting to board and I coughed. Once. Into a tissue with my head turned. And—I’m not making this up—the guy standing next to me jumps three feet away with this look on his face like I just killed him or something.
Me: Oh yeah?
Wife: Yeah! What a jerk! So I look at him and I say, “Excuse me, sir. It’s not like I coughed on you.” And he just grabs his stuff and runs away to the boarding line.
Me: Weird.
Wife: Right! So, a couple of other people came up to me later and told me they thought that guy was a nut and that his reaction was hilarious.
Me: Maybe he doesn’t have an immune system and if he gets sick he’ll die instantly.
Wife: Then he should be in a bubble.
Me: Yeah, I guess. Maybe he’s foreign and he doesn’t know our ways and customs. Maybe he was from another country.
Wife: Oh, I know where he was from: Fuckyouland.

We recently spent about 18 hours in a car with both of our kids (9 hours each way). There was no way I was going to listen to The Wiggles for 9 hours. So the day before we left, I created a bunch of mix CDs with songs that I thought both the kids and I would like. I’m happy to report that it was a total success. The kids liked the songs and I kept my sanity.

Here are 50 of the highlights from that trip, in no particular order:

Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
If I Had $1,000,000 by Barenaked Ladies
Waltzing Matilda by Dan Zanes and Debbie Harry
Cherokee by Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra
Garden in the Rain by Diana Krall
Only You by NRBQ
Sunshine Barato by The Mosquitos
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da by The Beatles
Love is Coming Back by The Flying Neutrinos
Sing Your Life by Morrissey
Come On Eileen by Save Ferris
Take Me Home Country Road by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
Jump in Line by Cherry Poppin Daddies
Reach For the Sky by Social Distortion
You Got a Friend in Me by Randy Newman
Mamma Mia by ABBA
Such Great Heights by The Postal Service
At Last by Etta James
Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer
Love Shack by The B52s
Twist and Shout by The Beatles
Take On Me by Big Reel Fish
Dirty Old Town by The Fenians
Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What a Wonderful World by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
Hungry Heart by Minnie Driver
Make Someone Happy by Jimmy Durante
Somebody to Love by Queen
Summerteeth by Wilco
Mahna Mahna by Cake
She’s Trying by The Dance Hall Crashers
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cindy Lauper
Whiskey in the Jar by The Fenians
We’re Going to be Friends by Jack Johnson
Grass Skirt by AGSFB
Penny Lane by The Beatles
The Nearness of You by Norah Jones
Misirlou by Dick Dale and His Del Tones
On the Road Again by Willy Nelson
Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and The Waves
Upside Down by Jack Johnson
Simmer Down by The Skatalites and Bob Marley
The District Sleeps Alone by The Postal Service
Octopus’s Garden by The Beatles
Young Pilgrims by The Shins
Rock Lobster by The B52s
Lonestart by Norah Jones
Salvador by Los Pinguous
Blue by The Jayhawks
Come Away With Me by Norah Jones
Dry the Rain by The Beta Band

If you’ve got more examples kid-friendly grownup songs, post ‘em in the comments.